Ralph B. Hodges served as Chief Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court from 1977 - 1978 and 1993 - 1994. Hodges was appointed to the Oklahoma Supreme Court by Governor Henry Bellmon on April 19, 1965 and served until his retirement from the Court in 2004.
Born in Anadarko, Oklahoma on August 4, 1930, Hodges graduated from high school in 1948. Hodges received his Bachelor of Art from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1952 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma in 1954. After graduating from law school Hodges was in private practice in Durant, Oklahoma from April 1954 until January 1957. From 1957 to 1959 Hodges served as the Bryan County Attorney before he was elected District Judge in 1958 and re-elected in 1962. On April 19, 1965 Oklahoma Governor Henry Bellmon appointed Hodges as a Justice on the Oklahoma Supreme Court. At the time of his appointment to the Court, Hodges was 34 years old, becoming the youngest Justice to serve on the Court since statehood. Hodges was re-elected to the Court in 1966, 1968, 1974, 1980, 1986, and 1992; serving as Chief Justice from 1977 - 1978 and 1993 - 1994.
In 1977, Justice Hodges was named Outstanding State Appellate Jurist by The Association of Trial Lawyers of America. Hodges also served on the Board of Trustees for Oklahoma Baptist University from 1968 until 1971.
Justice Hodges currently resides in Putnam City, Oklahoma. He and his wife, Janelle, have six children and twelve grandchildren